Wind musical instrument



July 22-, 1924. 1,502,369

c. F. BRINDLEY WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 15. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l fizz/872507."

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C. F. BRINDLEY WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 2 SheeLs-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15. 1921 lm/enh Patented July 22,1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. BRINDLEY, OF SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND.

W'INLD MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed August 15, 1921. Serial No. 492,452.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L, 1313.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES FREDERICK BRINDLEY, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of Sheffield, in the county of York, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in \Vind Musical Instruments, for which I have filed an application in Great Britain on Jan. 15, 1919, Patent No. 136,937, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to anew or improved wind musical instrument, and it has for its object to provide a musical instrument played from a clavier or claviers which controls or control pipes thatare caused to speak by wind, and which shall enable a performer to produce tonal ElIEClZS simulating and/or equalling those obtained from wood, string or brass orchestral instruments, whether played simultaneously or individually.

In accordance with this invention, the new or improved wind musical instrument comprises a clavier or claviers, two or more tona1 departments, the individual members of which are each controlled by a stop knob or its equivalent, and threev or more transition controllers, said cont-rollers being operated either by hand or by foot. The arrangement and construction of the parts of the instrument are such that thetonal departments enable a performer to obtain from the clavier or claviers effects simulating a solo or soli with accompaniment or accompaniments, an ensemble efi'ect of one or more instruments played in parts, and a grouping or groupings of instruments, the effects of which can be varied in intensity between a' maximum and a minimum.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents diagrammatically a console and mechanism within the instrument which is controlled by and operated on the actuation ofa stop knob or stop knobs and a controller pedal; and V Fig. 2 is also diagrammatic and shows part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 in sectional end view.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the valve and its connecting ducts.

Fig. 4 is aview of the pedal mechanism shown in Fig. 2 but taken from the opposite direction.

Fig. 5 is a-plan view of the pedals shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The invention will be described in connection with an instrument having one manual clavier, three tonal departments and four transition controllers. The clavier has a compass which is the same as, or approximates, that of a string percussion instrument, such as a grand piano. The individ ual members of each tonal department are each controlled by a stop knob, and the stop knobs of the several tonal departments are mount d in a board A, which forms the back board of the console. The individual members oi the first of the tonal depart ments are controlled by a plurality of stop knobs B, which are arranged in two rows. Tie stop knobs in the lower of the two rows control the individual members of the tonal department by which effects simulating an accompaniment or accompaniments are obtained, and the stop knobs in the upper or" the two rows, the individual members by which efiects simulating a solo or soli are obtained.

The individual members of the second of the tonal departments are controlled by stop knobs C, which are also arranged in a row and situated above the rows or" stop knobs B. The second tonal department is such that the controleifected by the stop knobs 0 enables an ensemble effect of one or more instruments played in parts to be simulated.

The individual members of the third of the tonal departments are controlled by stop knobs, which are arranged in a group and are situated at the right hand ends of the rows of stop knobs B, C. The third tonal department is such that the control eitected by the stop knobs D enables the efiect of a grouping or groupings of instruents to be simulated and varied, and a control of intensity between a maximum and a minimum obtained. In the 'playingof the instrument, only one of the tonal departments is in operation at a time.

As already stated, there are, in the instrument being described, three tonal departments, and tour transition controllers: the number of transition controllers in an instrument is always one-in excess of the number of tonalv departments. Each of the transition controllers is brought into action by the depression of a pedal. Z, E, F, G are the controller pedals. The pedal Z, when depressed, brings into action a controller -which imparts a natural order of supersession to the tonal departments, that is to say, if the performer is using the first tonal department, the drawing of one or more of the stop knobs G, throws this department out of action and brings the second tonal department into use. The drawing of one or more of the stop knobs D throws the first or second tonal department, whichever be in operation, out of use and brings the third tonal department into use. The pedal E, when depressed, causes the pedal that is depressed to rise and brings into action a con troller which resets the instrument and so arranges the mechanism that the performer is limited to the first tonal department. The pedal F, when depressed, acts similarly in relation to the depressed pedal, resets the instrument and so arranges the mechanism that the performer is limited to the second tonal department. The pedal Gr, when depressed, acts similarly in relation to the depressed pedal, resets the instrument and so arranges the mechanism that the performer is limitedto the third tonal department. The performer when playing with one of the pedals E, F, or G depressed, is in a position to draw stop knobs controlling the individual members of another or both of the tonal departments preparatory to transferring to one or other department by depressing its pedal. One of the pedals Z, E, F

' or G is always inits depressed position, and .each of the pedals as depressed is locked in this position and is so held until another pedal is depressed, when it is released and is automatically raised to its other position. Mechanism for effecting this interlocking of the pedals is well known in connection with other wind musical instruments, such as organs, and forms no part of the present invention.

.The construction of the clavier Y is that ordinarily adopted in organ building practice, and the keys, when depressed, causes pipes of the tonal department whose controlleris depressed and/or one or more of whose stop knobs is or are drawn, to speak.

H is the structure which comprises the transition controllers. It comprises a wind chest 1 at its upper part, amotor bellows compartment 2 at its lower partand, centrally, a member containing a plurality of chambers 3, it, 5, 6 each of which is connected with the wind chest 1 and with the compart-ment 2, which latter is open to the atmosphere. The compartment 2 contains four motor bellows 7, 8, 9, 10 so disposed that a motor bellows comes below each of the chambers 3, 4, 5, 6. Each motor bellows carries and actuates a pair of single acting valves, which control the connections of a chamber with the wind chest 1 and with the atmosphere and which are so mounted on the valve stem that when the chamber is in connection with the atmosphere its connection with the wind chest is broken and vice versa. acting valves. The motor bellows 7 8, 9, 10 are all connected with a wind chest 15; the connection in the case 01": the motor bellows 7 being direct by means of a pipe 16 which is controlled by a valve 17. The valve 17 is normally closed to the interior of the wind chest 15 and is opened and held open when the pedal Z is in its depressed position. The motor bellows 8, 9, 10 are each connected with the wind chest 15 by a pipe 18 and a valve casing 19, which contains a blow-t0 valve 20 of the same type as shown in Fig. 3 (valve 55) that controls theconnection of the pipe 18 or of a pipe 37, 35 or 21 with the motor bellows. The control of the connection of each of the pipes 18 with the wind chest 15 is effected by a valve 17 the several valves 17, which are normally closed to the interior of the wind chest 15, are operated by the pedals E, F, G, respectively. The chamber 1 is connected by a wind duct 22 with a wind chest which is controlled by the stop knobs B; the chamber 5 is connected by a wind duct 23 with a wind chest controlled by the stop knobs C and the stop knobs D control a wind chest which is connected by a wind duct 24 with the chamber 6. To thechamber 3, three pipes 21, 25, 26 are connected; the pipe 21 is connected with a valve casing 19 of the motor bellows 10, and the pipes 25, 26 are connected, respectively, with wind chests 27, 28. The wind chests 27, 28 constitute the upper part of a structure J, which forms a cut-out device. The lower part of the structure J is constituted by a motor bellows compartment 30 and the central part by two valve chambers 29, 36; the valve chamber 29 'is in connection with the wind chest 28 and with the atmosphere through the compartment 30, and the valve chamber 36 is in con nection with the wind chest 27 and with the compartment 30. The compartment 30 contains two motor bellows 31, 32 so disposed that one comes below the chamber 29 and the other below the chamber 36. Each of the motor bellows carries and actuates a pair of single acting valves 33, 3 1, respectively,

which control the connections of the chambers with the wind chests and with the atmosphere and which are so mounted on the valve stem that when the chambers are in connection with their respective wind chests, their connection with the atmosphere is broken and vice versa. The chamber 29 is in .connection with the motor bellows 9 through the pipe 35 and the valve casing 19 pertaining to such motor bellows. Similarly the chamber 36 is in connection with the motor bellows 8 through the pipe 3'? 11, 12, 13, 14: are the pairs of single and the valve casing 19 pertaining to such motor bellows.

In the position of parts illustrated, the pedal Z is in its depressed position, the valve 17 actuated thereby is open, and wind passes through the pipe 16 to the motor bellows 7 which actuates its valves 11 and places the chamber 3 in connection wit-h the wind chest 1. lVind passes from the wind chest 1 to the chamber 3 and by the pipes 25, 26, 21 to the wind chests 27, 28 and to the valve casing 19 of the motor bellows 10. hen the wind enters the wind chest 27 it passes to the valve chamber 36 and from thence through the pipe 37 to the valve casing 19 of the motor bellows 8. Similarly the wind enters the wind chest 28 passes to the valve chamber 29 and thence through the pipe to the valve casing 19 of the motor bellows 9. The wind entering the several valve casings 19 actuates the blow-to valves 20 therein, which close the ends or" the pipes 18 and thus connect the motor bellows 8, 9, 10 with the wind chests 27, 28 and chamber The motor bellows 8, 9, 1O actuate their valves 12, 13, 11, respectively, and place the wind chest 1 in connection with the chambers 1, 5, 6. Vind passes from the wind chest 1 through the chambers 1, 5, 6 and the wind ducts 22, 23, 21 to the wind chests controlled by the stop knobs B, C, D.

K is a distributing box which comprises a wind chest 38 at its upper part, a motor bellows compartment 10 at its lower part and, centrally, aimember 39 containing a plurality of chambers each connected with the wind chest 38 and with the atmosphere through the compartment 10. The compartment 10 contains three sets of motor bellows '11, 12, 13, which are so disposed that one comes below each of the chambers in the member 39. Each of the motor bellows 11, 12,13 carries and actuates a pair of single acting valves which control the connections of the chambers in the member 39 with the wind chest 38 and with the atmosphere through the compartment 10, 11, 15, 16 are the valves carried and actuated by the motorbellows 11, 12, 13 respectively. The motor bellows 11 are connected by pipes 17 with the wind chests controlled by the stop knobs B and the chambers in the member 39 controlled by the motor bellows 11 are connected by pipes with the first tonal department. The arrangement of parts is such that when one or more of the stop knobs B is drawn, wind passes by a pipe or pipes 17 to a. motor bellows or to motor bellows 11, which actuates or actuate valves 11 that place the wind chest 38 in connection through chambers in the member 39 with the first tonal department, the pipes of which speak when a key or keys of the clavier is or are depressed. The motor bellows 12 are connected by pipes 18 with the wind chest controlled by the stop knobs C and the chambers in the member 39 controlled by the motor bellows 12 are connected by pipes 51 with the second tonal department and by a pipe 52 with a bar L.

The bar L is connected by a pipe 53 with a valve casing 51 containing a blow-to valve 55. The valve casing 51 is connected with the motor bellows 32 and the blow-to valve 55 controls the connection of the pipe 53 or of a pipe 56 with said motor bellows. hen one or more of the stop knobs C is drawn, wind passes by a pipe or pipes 18 to a motor bellows or to motor bellows 12, which actuates or actuate valves 15 which place the wind chest 38 in connection through chambers in the member 39 with the second tonal department, the pipes or which speak when a key or keys or the clavier is or are depressed; wind also passes from a chamber or the chambers in the member 39 to the bar L and from the bar L by pipe 53 and valve casing 51 to motor bellows 32 which actuates its valves 31, disconnects the wind chest 27 from the chamber 36 and places the pipe 37 in connection with the atmosphere, thus allowing the motor bellows 8 to fall and its valves 12 to interrupt the connection between the wind chest 1 and the wind duct 22. The supply of wind to the wind chest controlled by the stop 'knobs B is thus cut oil and the drawing of any of the stop knobs B has no efi ect. In other words, the first tonal department has been superseded by the second tonal department. lVhenone or more of the stop knobs D are drawn, wind passes by a pipe or pipes'19 to a motor bellows or to motor bellows 13 which actuates or actuate valves 16 which place the wind chest 38 in con nection through chambers in the member 39 and pipes 62 with the bar L and through pipes 63 with motor bellows 57 situated in the lower compartment 58 of a distributing box M. The upper part of this box M is constituted of a' wind chest 59 and the centre of a member 60 containing a plurality of chambers, each connected by pipes with the third tonal department. The connection of the chambers in the member 60 with the wind chest 59 and through the compartment 58 with the atmosphere is controlled by pairs of single acting valves 61, each pair being carried and actuated by a motor bellows 57. The part of the bar L to which the pipes 62 are connected is connected by the pipe 56 with the valve casing 51 and by a pipe 61 with the motor bellows 31. The drawing of a stop knob or stop knobs D thus actuates motor bellows 57 and places the wind chest 59 in connection with the third tonal department; the drawing of a stop knob or stop knobs D also admits wind through the pipes 56, 61 to the motor bellows 32, 31 which then disconnect the wind chests 27, 28 from the chambers 36, 29, re spectively, and places the pipes 37, 35 in connection with the atmosphere, thus allowing the motor bellows 8, 9 to fall and their valves 12, 13 to interrupt the connection between the wind chest 1 and the wind ducts 22, 23. The first and second tonal departments are thus superseded by the third tonal department.

If inthe playing of the instrument, the pedal E be depressed, the pedal Z is automatically raised. The depression of the pedal E admits wind from the wind chest 15 to the motor bellows 8, which actuate the valves 12 and admit wind from the wind chest 1 through the wind duct 22 to the wind chest controlled by the draw stops B. The cutting ofi of wind from the motor bellows 7 disconnects the wind chest 1 from the wind chests 27, 28 and the motor'bellows 10. Similarly, if the pedals F or G be depressed, the pedal E is automatically raised, wind is admitted from the win-d chest 1 to the motor bellows 9 or 10 and wind passes from the wind chest 1 through the wind duct 23 or 24 to the wind chest controlled'by the stop knobs C or D. When one of the pedals E, F or G is depressed, stop knobs of a compartment not controlled thereby can be drawn so that they will be in readiness when the pedal controlling the department to which they pertain comes into operation.

There may be combined with an instrument in accordance with this invention, the clavier and the mechanism of a string percussion instrument, such as a grand piano Also there may be combined with an instrument in accordance with this invention, and whether or not the clavier and the mechanism of a string percussion instrument be combined therewith, a pedal clavier and suitable stop knobs or their equivalent by which the manual clavier may be coupled to the pedal clavier or vice versa.

In the instrument described the clavier Y is, when the first of the tonal departments is in use, divided into two portions, on one of which the accompaniment is played and on the other of which the solo is performed. The solo and accompaniment being performed, the ensemble effect obtained and the grouping of the instruments is governed Wholly by the stop knob or knobs which is or are drawn.

That I claim is 1. A wind instrument comprising a clavier, a plurality of tone departments, a stop knob for the individual members of the tone departments, a plurality of transition controllers, means between the tone departments and one of the transition controllers whereby the operation of a stop for one tonal department renders inoperative the operated stops for the previously sounded tonal department.

2. A wind instrument comprising a clavier, a plurality of tone departments, a stop knob for the individual members of the tone departments, a transition controller, means between the tone departments and the transition controller whereby when the latter is operated, the operation of a stop for one tone department will put out of opera tion the previously operated tone depart ment. I

3. A wind instrument comprising a clavier, a plurality of tone departments, a stop knob for the individual members of the tone departments, a plurality of transition controllers, means between the tone departments and the transition controllers whereby the operation of one of the transition controllers renders all other tone departments inoperative and renders operative all of the individual members of its corresponding department whose stops are operated.

4. A wind instrument comprising a clavier, a plurality of tone departments, a

stop knob for the individual members of the tone departments, a plurality of transition controllers, means between the tone departments and one of the transition controllers whereby when the latter is operated, the operation of a stop for one tone department will put out of operation the previously operated tone department and connections to the other transition controllers whereby when one of the latter controllers is operated, all other tone departments are rendered inoperative and all of the indi- V vidual members of its corresponding department, whose stops are operated, are rendered operative.

Dated this 28th day of July, 1921.

CHAS. F. BRINDLEY. 

